Seedings good, bad for Rams

The Sac-Joaquin Section playoff pairings delivered mixed results for the St. Mary's High basketball programs on Wednesday.

Richard Estrada

The Sac-Joaquin Section playoff pairings delivered mixed results for the St. Mary's High basketball programs on Wednesday.

The Rams' girls, despite five losses and a record only eighth-best among Division I schools, earned the top seed. The boys, 26-1 and winners of 19 in a row, could rise no higher than No. 3 in Division II.

There was other news of note when the section released brackets for six divisions, boys and girls. The playoffs tip off Friday with a handful of outbracket games, followed by first-round games next week.

The section has used power ratings to decide playoff teams for years, but this season teams advanced based on their finish in league. Every league received three berths and some, including the Tri-City Athletic League, earned a fourth based on playoff success the past three years.

"We switched from power ratings to league placements because, over the years, the leagues have become spread out," said Sac-Joaquin Section director of communications Will DeBoard, noting the Valley Oak League has teams ranging from Division I Kimball to Division IV Lathrop. "The power ratings were based on leagues having schools of similar (size)."

As leagues diversified, DeBoard said, "Smaller teams in larger divisions benefited, while the larger teams in smaller leagues were penalized."

Seven Stockton-area schools play Friday, including Division I girls matchups between Lodi at Kimball, Tokay at Lincoln and Edison at Sacramento-St. Francis. In Division I boys, Stagg plays at Turlock, and in Division II boys, Bear Creek hosts Modesto-Beyer.

The St. Mary's girls (21-5) will host the winner of an outbracket game Tuesday. With the top seed and highly touted No. 2 El Dorado Hills-Oak Ridge (23-4) and No. 3 Napa (26-1) in the opposite bracket, the Rams are positioned for a run at a seventh section title in a row.

"There weren't many difficult No. 1 seeds. Maybe Division I girls because most rankings had Oak Ridge ahead of St. Mary's," DeBoard said.

"The committee felt that St. Mary's played the schedule and had the season more deserving of the No. 1 seed."

The St. Mary's boys tied for the best record in the section, regardless of division, but they're seeded behind No. 1 Folsom (25-2) and No. 2 Loomis-Del Oro (26-1).

The Rams' only official loss is to Division I top-seed Carmichael-Jesuit, but they face a potential rematch with Elk Grove-Cosumnes Oaks. The Wolfpack beat St. Mary's 86-82 in December, but that was one of 15 wins they forfeited for using an ineligible player.

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